Sasa kurilensis

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; leptomorph. Culms erect; woody. Culm-internodes terete; hollow. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5 mm long. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 4.5–15 cm long; 10–23 mm wide; dark green and glaucous; discolorous with last colour beneath. Leaf-blade venation with 10–12 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate. Panicle branches capillary; glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 12–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 mm long; scarious; without keels. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–3 mm long; scarious; without keels. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 5–6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex acute. Palea 5–6 mm long. Palea keels eciliate. Palea surface glabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; 1–2 mm long; ciliate. Anthers 6. Stigmas 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong, or ovoid; 6 mm long; apex unappendaged.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Soviet far east and eastern Asia.

NOTES Arundinarieae. Nakai 1996.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.